Wade Redden, no longer a salary cap burden for the New York Rangers, has reported to Hartford, where he will put his 13 years of NHL experience to good use as a mentor and top defenseman for the Wolf Pack and — by far — the highest-paid player in the AHL and the franchise history.

"I'm coming with a good attitude," Redden told Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant. "Looking at my time in New York, things didn't go the way I wanted them to. And I don't think things were going to change. I sat down with (Rangers G.M.) Glen (Sather) and he said the same thing."

Wade Redden, the former Ottawa star, has remained open and classy while taking shots from critics who label his free-agent contract as one of the worst in NHL history.

That’s what happens sometimes when a player signs a six-year, $39 million contract and then falls short of expectations. With four of those years and $23 million still remaining on his deal, Redden became a roster liability and the Rangers decided to bury his contract in the minors, thus ridding themselves of the $6.5 million cap hit if not the obligation to continue paying a player who no longer fits in their plans.

"Statistically or whatever, I wasn't doing what a lot of people thought I should have," Redden told The Courant. "I always try to play the same game. Sometimes it doesn't fit into what teams are looking for. I guess I have to accept that and just move on. It didn't work out, especially with the salary cap. I wasn't in their plans. I have to live with that.

"Anything can happen, but certainly (a return to the Rangers) is down on the list of expectations. To be honest, it didn't go well there. I've got to come here and play as well as I can. Obviously, I want to get back to the NHL, but I can't look down the road. This is the first step. I'm coming here with a fresh slate."

And a rather large monetary burden. The former Ottawa star has remained open and classy while taking shots from critics who label his free-agent contract as one of the worst in NHL history. And the whispers won’t stop as he makes his first excursion through the AHL.

There will be plenty to whisper about. In 1990, according to Jacobs, the Hartford Whalers—an NHL team that later became the Carolina Hurricanes—had an entire payroll that was $300,000 less than Redden’s salary this season. In 1995-96, Brendan Shanahan had the highest single-season salary in Whalers history at $3.5 million.

But, as Jacobs points out, the best perspective might come from the $65,000 average salary projection for AHL players this season. Redden will make $81,000 per game.